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What do you use for front end for your web app? If you use React or Vue or something that does client-side rendering, you can often turn your app into a PWA fa
by freedomben 3y ago
What do you use for front end for your web app? If you use React or Vue or something that does client-side rendering, you can often turn your app into a PWA fairly trivially by just adding a manifest. That is IMHO definitely the way to go as long as you don't need to use native functionality/APIs.
PWAs are still a little tougher on Apple since Apple holds the reins to their platform very tightly and doesn't want apps getting to users without going through "curation," so if iOS is an important market for you and your users will find you through the app store (rather than looking for you in the app store after finding you elsewhere), then a PWA may not be the best choice.
If you use server-side rendering, then it will of course be more work, but I'd still probably go the PWA route and write it in React or Vue. You already know JS so there's much less learning, and it's the most "write once run anywhere" that there is. You'll likely have to buy a mac though, although there are services you can "rent" one for building/signing/submitting to Apple.
React Native can be a good option as well, especially if you need to call native APIs or must be in the Apple store (Google Play Store can take you as a PWA). Most of your code can be js/ts so less learning curve, and you can generate a submittable app package that can go in the Apple store (and of course Google).
If you need to make extensive use of native APIs though, then a real native app may be better, though of course you will need a separate one for ios and android, and there's a lot of learning to do. And you'll definitely have to buy a mac.
tldr: a PWA is (probably) the way to go
- stronglikedan 3y ago> But because of better monetization options, I sometimes dabble with the idea to build a native mobile app. Likely not in this case.